US midterm losses leave Trump facing congressional limits on foreign policy

Republicans lost their majority in Congress in the recent US midterm elections, ceding both the House of Representatives and the Senate to the Democrats. According to a report by Mehr News, this outcome places the White House in a position where pursuing its domestic and foreign policy agendas could become increasingly difficult. The defeat came as President Donald Trump had repeatedly sought to make US foreign policy a platform for projecting personal power, from threats of military force and economic pressure against rivals to costly confrontations and heightened tensions with Washington's traditional allies.

The confrontation with Iran emerged as a key factor in the Republican defeat, a point that senior officials in the Trump administration no longer deny in terms of its political consequences. An ABC News exit poll found that 34 percent of voters said the issue of confrontation with Iran played a decisive role in their electoral choice. Vice President JD Vance emphasized that anyone who believes the confrontation was worth the cost of losing the Senate majority for the next six years should openly defend that position. Vance also stressed the need to end the conflict, address the cost of living, and re-evaluate the US relationship with Israel. The report described these stances as more than a simple difference of opinion, noting that the Vice President is effectively distancing himself from one of the President's most significant foreign policy decisions at a time of mounting speculation about a potential presidential run in 2028.

Trump continues to defend his decision. After the election, he acknowledged that the confrontation with Iran played a role in the Republican defeat but said that if he could go back in time, he would make the same decision again. The report characterized this reaction as revealing the President's inability to accept the strategic costs of his own decisions, while seeking both to deflect political responsibility for the defeat and to persist in a policy that even his own deputy identifies as a primary reason for the Republican Party's failure.

The financial cost of the policy is also substantial. US Department of War estimates cited in the report indicate that the cost of confronting Iran had reached approximately $47.1 billion by October 16, 2026, comprising roughly $29 billion to replace expended munitions, $6.1 billion for lost equipment, and nearly $11.9 billion in operational and support costs. The estimate does not fully account for damage sustained by certain US military bases and infrastructure in the region. Rising energy prices and the economic strain on American households have further fueled public discontent, according to the report.

Trump's foreign policy in Latin America, the use of economic pressure and tariffs against other nations, tensions with European and Asian allies, and his inconsistent approach toward Ukraine have all raised questions about the stability and credibility of US foreign policy, the report said. With Democrats now controlling Congress, one of their most significant tools is the power of the purse, the constitutional authority to approve and allocate government funding. Democrats can limit or place conditions on funding for certain military operations, make different decisions on foreign aid, and use the defense budget to compel the White House to be accountable. The report noted that this tool does not mean an immediate end to Trump's policies, since the President can veto acts of Congress and overriding a veto requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers, as the experience of 2007 over funding for operations in Iraq demonstrated. Nevertheless, control of Congress enables Democrats to subject the administration to oversight, summon senior officials, investigate the costs of military operations, and challenge funding mechanisms. According to Mehr News, the elections have provided a clear answer: while Trump retains executive power, he can no longer pursue foreign policy failures without facing a domestic price.